Save our pools: Invest in people, close the opportunity gap

When the last bell rings and school is out for the summer, I want my fifth graders to be reading, having adventures, and… doing cannonballs. Swimming is good, clean fun — and pools offer water safety, fitness, healthy social development (removed from phones, television and video games) and a sense of community.

Prior to 2010, there were four operational city pools serving four different communities in Berkeley. King pool in north Berkeley, West Campus pool in west Berkeley, the warm pool, serving our most vulnerable community (the very young, the disabled, the injured and the elderly) and, finally, Willard pool in south Berkeley. Built in 1963, Willard had fallen into disrepair and the city could not afford to make the necessary fixes to keep it open. Then, after a close and hard fought battle to get voters to fund an all-pools bond measure in 2010, it, along with the warm pool, was history.

Surveys are one of the City Council’s best ways to determine the needs of voters. Tonight they will discuss the results of the most recent community survey which will lead to final recommendations for the November 2012 ballot. However, data from surveys ought to be critically interpreted and considered in combination with data that is more representative of all of Berkeley citizens.

For example, in the latest survey, 58% of the 402 citizens questioned said that they were likely to be in favor of a bond that would rebuild Willard pool. This is about 10% shy of what is needed to pass the bond if it were on the ballot in November. However, almost one-third of the survey respondents were in a demographic unlikely to use Willard pool, ages 65 and over, and that’s roughly three times that age group’s population in Berkeley.

There were also misrepresentations in other groups, such as Asian and Latinos, and, of course, zero children were included in the survey.

That’s not to say the survey is flawed or it shouldn’t be considered, rather that it be interpreted with the understanding of whose voices are being amplified and whose are being marginalized.

In June 2008, the City Council paired with BUSD to create a 2020 Vision, which, in large part, was designed to close the achievement gap, a noble intention. To this end, the city committed to “develop plans… to remove barriers to learning and to promote healthy development for all Berkeley children and youth.” Most scholars and educators who study the “achievement gap” now call it “the opportunity gap” because it disproportionately impacts students of color who come from low-income backgrounds and who have fewer opportunities and less access to healthy and enriching experiences.

The two wealthiest zip codes are in north Berkeley near King pool (average household income there is more than double that of the densely populated west and south Berkeley). When one considers 2020 Vision and the wealth distribution in Berkeley, it is clear that closing Willard pool is in opposition to that vision. It limits access to water safety, fitness, and healthy social and community development for low-income students and students of color in that area of south Berkeley, where there is already a dearth of parks and green space.

We need to invest in all of our pools and do what is necessary to make sure they are functional and accessible to all populations, especially those in traditionally underserved areas.

The Institute of Medicine recently collaborated with the producers of an HBO series called The Weight of the Nation citing very scary statistics. The percentage of children aged 6-11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 20% in 2008. In addition, children consume more than 7.5 hours of media a day, 7 days a week. The Institute is urging communities to provide places where children affected by the opportunity gap can get the exercise needed to stay healthy:

Obesity risks are often disproportionate among minority, low-income, less educated, and rural populations, due to inequitable distribution of health promotion resources and community risk factors that contribute to disparities in obesity prevalence. For example, some communities may have no safe places to walk or play…. Because these inequities often result from policy decisions, change will require targeted efforts to promote and support robust, long-term community engagement and civic participation. (May, 2012)

As a teacher who works to over-serve the underserved at my school, the closing of Willard pool is confounding. We need a unified, concerted effort to better serve Berkeley citizens, child and adult, able-bodied and disabled, who are currently being underserved. I urge you to contact your councilmembers and join all pool supporters at the council meeting tonight to show your support for health, fitness and strong communities.

Berkeleyside welcomes submissions of op-ed articles of 500 to 800 words. We ask that we are given first refusal to publish. Topics should be Berkeley-related and local authors are preferred. Please email submissions to us. Berkeleyside will publish op-ed pieces at its discretion.

Maggie Knutson, PhD, is a 5th Grade teacher at John Muir Elementary School.

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Most Commented

mslisa

wow. this is fascinating. i’m one of those low-income, children of color who was raised in Berkeley. I went to Willard in middle school and graduated from BHS. I now teach in East Oakland at an independent, African-centered school. Why? Because of the opportunity gap. I’ve seen many documentaries and read all the statistics. I am one of those statistics, just like my students; fighting for opportunity under an unjust and inequitable system of oppression. That’s what it is and always has been. Why is North Berkeley predominantly white and affluent and South Berkeley predominately Black and low-income? It was red-lined several generations ago. I had many wonderful teachers coming up through BUSD, but ultimately the choice to go on to college and get out was my own. My mother was ruined by the stress of single-parenting and poverty.

I read Outliers and I think yes, that students below proficiency should be in full-day summer school and in that include psychical education and social development. Why not pass a city measure to subsidize that instead of crying the blues over Cafe Gratitude closing. Do you ever see Black people eating there? No. Give all the kids in Berkeley something better.

PragmaticProgressive

And according to tonight’s packet, they want to put the wam pool there too.

PragmaticProgressive

See tonight’s school board packet. Warm pool plans at west campus, even thought here s no voter support.

BerkeleyCitizen

Lori, I didn’t say that the previously used BHS pool, which by happy accident became known as the warm pool you were so fortunate to be able to use, was a boondoggle. The bond that was on last election’s ballot was a boondoggle, and in today’s economic times, Berkeley can’t afford to add a new piece of infrastructure like this. I am in favor of keeping existing City infrastructure in usable condition and especially in one of the most diverse areas of Berkeley (i.e. Willard). Instead of insisting the City do it, when clearly the warm water pool would benefit and attract users from all over the East Bay, why not work with one of the many organizations at Ed Roberts to do a major fundraising effort and do this as a non-profit? Why must the city of Berkeley and the overburdened homeowner/taxpayers be saddled with the cost exclusively, when the vast majority of them or their families are unlikely to be regular users? It is time to stop thinking of Berkeley taxpayers as the single source of funding for grand plans such as this.

Anonymous

PE, PE instructors and equipment, library books, heavily subsidized after-school programs, field trips, equipment for the office and material for classrooms (including furniture!), and that’s just stuff off the top of my head from this year. I did the arithmetic the other night and the amount I pay towards school bond measures and BSEP taxes plus money I’ve either given anonymously to the school or to the PTA this year exceeded the amount I would have spent at a mid-cost private school for one child. I’m not even including my time in fundraising and doing work at the school (handyman stuff, clean up from events, etc.) which often involves me having to leave work early which costs me in vacation time. Unlike our former city manager I don’t get to accrue “sick leave” that I could use for this.

Other than maintaining teacher ratios BSEP is pretty much just general fund now (i.e., administrative pay) just like GATE money is and it’s all spent in unaccountable ways at the whim of the administration. I definitely would never vote for another school bond or tax knowing what I know now about how the district operates after being in it for three years and I used to be the sort of voter that would vote for any tax or bond measure that had the word “school” in it without a second thought regardless of whether I thought it was worthwhile.

Anonymous

Did we really need an administration office at West campus that costs 14 million dollars (the May meeting packet)? If/When you voted for measure I did you really think nearly 7% of it would be used for an administration building instead of fixing the sad, dilapidated messes that most of our elementary schools are? It will undoubtedly end up being more 7%. I predict it will be like the huge building the UC office of the president built in downtown Oakland…it was so big and the UC administration so top heavy that by the time it was completed it was too small for all of the staff.

Anonymous

Did we really need an administration office at West campus that costs 14 million dollars (the May meeting packet)? If/When you voted for measure I did you really think nearly 7% of it would be used for an administration building instead of fixing the sad, dilapidated messes that most of our elementary schools are? It will undoubtedly end up being more 7%. I predict it will be like the huge building the UC office of the president built in downtown Oakland…it was so big and the UC administration so top heavy that by the time it was completed it was too small for all of the staff.

Berkeleyfarm

Yep!

The reason the previous measure failed is that it was loaded with tasty,
tasty pork in an era when local taxpayers don’t necessarily have a lot to spare
and have already (repeatedly) reached into their pockets for the schools and
libraries. I vote for school bonds, although this may change with my new
knowledge of various shenanigans (I’m shocked that PTAs still have to raise
money for _things like PE_). I voted against the overstuffed pool bond. I
was phone surveyed for it and expressed my disapproval of the “We want a pony”
extras.

The overinflated retirement package given to the former City Manager could
have kept the pools open AND the potholes filled! A lot of taxpayers think it’s
throwing good money after bad. I might be in favor of a Willard-only measure, especially if it could be
staffed without additional city expense (aren’t our staff ratios way above what
similar cities, like Santa Monica, have?) by reassigning staff from current
duties. A laundry list of projects gets a NO vote from this (District 2) voter.

Lori

As a person who regularly used the “Warm Pool Boondoggle” and have NO place to to now, because the Y which I am now a member, doesn’t work for me, but I have to go SOMEWHERE, to ensure I can “hold on” till I can get back to warmer waters, and not end up in a wheel chair. I wonder how many people posting here are in wheelchairs, severe pain, or because the warm pool closed, are bedridden. I agree Willard pool NEVER should have been filled with dirt. That was our mayors decision, and it cost quite a bit to do so. It used to be that children couldn’t graduate without swimming, which is why the pools were close to the schools; that ended in about 2000. I could go on about how warm pools make money all over the country, but who would listen here on Berkeleyside? Nada. Let our children swim, and please, even if you don’t give a damn about the disabled children, adults, elderly, teaching programs, parent and tot times, family swim, and all the other programs that took place at the warm pool, could you show a bit of humanity. I realize, I am probably speaking to the wind, but I thought I’d try..

EBGuy

On a side note, did everyone enjoy the brief property tax holiday this past year? Taxes were flat across my last two returns as the upward trajectory halted (and briefly went down) for the 2010-11 property tax bill. No worries, though, as the new school bonds are coming online. As a side benefit, we get new administration facilities at West Campus (yes they were needed), but we can also reclaim the funds spent on leasing at the old city hall for general expenditures.

Greg

Can you explain your methodology? I’m not saying you’re wrong, but unless I’m missing something it seems very, very unlikely.

My understanding is that about 55% of parcel tax revenue comes from residential properties. My *guess* is that the bulk of non-residential properties are within the downtown and west Berkeley neighborhoods.

Given the parcel taxes are based on building square footage (or in the case of the storm water tax, lot square footage) you’re effectively claiming that the vast majority of residential square footage resides in north Berkeley.

Ira, can you confirm this?

If your claim is indeed true can you also explain how you account for use of resources? I must admit, my little brain leaps to the conclusion that if most residential square footage is in north Berkeley then maybe most of the people are in north Berkeley too (and that they may even consume most of the resources?).

As for the Ad Valorem portion of the tax bill, I *think* the City of Berkeley/BUSD portion amounts to a .2384% tax. As far as City of Berkeley only taxes a 1500 sf house in north Berkeley assessed at $1M pays about the same as a 3000 sf house in south Berkeley assessed at $500K.

Of course the 1% county wide assessment dramatically tilts that the other way. I honestly have no clue how much of that money makes it way back to the city.

If you’ve tackled that portion of the tax bill can you explain how you accounted for the skewing of assessed value due to Prop. 13? Did you use pure brute force on the full data set, or did you develop some sort of model?

Precisely. Consider, for example, the Physical Education program at John Muir, where Maggie teaches, and whose outcomes are specifically directed at the childhood obesity epidemic she addresses above. You would think that it would be paid for by general funds. Failing that, you’d think that BSEP would cover the costs, as is hinted at on the BSEP page.

In a rational world that’s what would happen. The city would never allow that on their (and trust me, they consider it their property) property though anymore than a corporation would allow you to use their facilities, equipment, etc. to run a non-profit that doesn’t benefit their business in some way. These grifters see whatever revenue the city manages to bring in as income for themselves and they are not going to give up that kind of money without legal action (which will also be paid by you).

Anonymous

Unfortunately you’ve already paid to maintain the roads, it’s just that the money was used for salaries and benefits and now you have to pay to fix the roads (which is much more expensive when they haven’t been maintained). Every time you slam into a pot hole or have to replace prematurely worn tires on your car remember that, just to pick a recent example, our former city manager is enjoying a very comfortable retirement with whatever he managed to save with his $242,000 per year salary, the $150,000 cash he took for unused sick time, and the $250,000 per year he’ll make every year until he dies.

Anonymous

Of course not, but that’s where the bulk of tax revenue is for parcel taxes. Everybody, including renters (for the most part), pays though.

Anonymous

That sounds more like the year-round system where it’s still roughly 10 months of education but the 2 months off is distributed throughout the year. My brother used to teach in a district like that and I agree, it seemed to be an absolute nightmare. What I mean is you go to school year-round, not on a 10 month cycle. Maybe add a two vacation in the summer or something like that. I know that would be easier for at least these working parents.

Anonymous

As long as they can stay up late smoking their medicine, watch cartoons projected onto a sheet, and sleep in until 10am I bet they’d be all for it.

Anonymous

If it actually went towards meaningful education I’d be more than willing to pay twice that. I already easily pay that amount now in supplemental education during the year since BUSD is almost entirely focused on remedial education and summer programs like ATDP (http://atdp.berkeley.edu/).

Anonymous

Look more closely. BSEP funds, with very few exceptions, are used for things that every reasonable person would assume general funds for. Much of the enrichment programs are now paid for by your school’s PTA and other donations from families.

serkes

Appraisals and assessed value are actually two different things.

The appraisal is done by the lender as part of the loan process. From time to time, we see sales prices higher than appraised value. It’s up the the buyer whether or not they wish to cancel, renegotiate, or proceed with the sale when that happens.

The assessed value is the value that the County values the home at. It’s usually (probably always, but I’ve not looked into it) the home’s purchase price within that tax year.

Some buyers look the the assessed value of a home as an indicator of market value .. but with Prop 13 any correlation would be the equivalent of a stopped watch being correct twice a day (unless you’re on 24 hour time)

Ira

The Sharkey

On average you’re correct but in some recent sales I’ve seen examples of assessed values that are lower than the purchase price, at least as far as a lender is concerned. Now that the market has rebounded a bit, bidding wars for particularly desirable homes can drive the price above what the bank’s assessor places the value at.

serkes

For new home purchases, the assessed value is the purchase price … so it should have a 100% correlation for the 1st year. The county sends out Supplemental Tax Bills to cover the difference between the previous assessed value and the purchase price.

For homes purchase within the past few years, the assessed value is often more than the purchase price. You can appeal your assessed value if you feel it’s too high – I often provide the data for home owners.

For homes purchased more than 8 years ago, the assessed value will likely be (much) less than the market value.

And if you’ve not sold your refinery, office building, or factory since Prop 13 came in .. your assessed value will reflect its value as of 30 years ago (with possible 2%/year increases).

Ira

The Sharkey

I’ve found that assessed value tracks pretty well with current market value, at least for new home purchases. But I suppose when you factor in homes that haven’t been assessed for decades as a result of Prop 13, that would definitely drive the “assessed value” down quite a bit.

Looks like the median sale price so far this year has been about $550k.

Maggie

Yes, if you give my fifth graders the %’s, the $$ amounts and tell them what algorithms and operations to use, they could likely make property tax calculations. Apps aren’t only for solutions you can’t find on your own, many are to make complex tasks easier and more expedient.

serkes

The $350,000 number is the assessed value rather than the current market value. That actually might reflect the average assessed value of homes in Berkeley.

Prices have jumped 2012 1-2Q; I’ll update the research once 2012 2Q sales are reported.

Ira

PragmaticProgressive

Not to veer waaaaay off topic, but apropos of farming… I’ve seen articles in several outlets over the last couple of days saying that there aren’t enough workers to handle the harvest in California, Florida, and elsewhere. Occupy the Farm — this is your chance!

PragmaticProgressive

And this is just one reason why Ira is the best. :-)

Alina

Absolutely agreed. I was asked about each item in isolation and I even told the person doing the interview that if all these things show up on the ballot together I am far less likely to vote ‘yes’ on any of them. I will probably pick my top two priorities and that’s it. So IMHO, the 58% is not realistic.

serkes

The median (half larger, half smaller) home size of homes which sold through the MLS in Berkeley is about 1,500 sq ft. I’ve not looked at the average home size, it would be higher, but with so many 2 + 3 bedroom homes in Berkeley, I don’t think it would be as much as 1,900 sq ft. While the MLS doesn’t reflect all sales, it’s probably a representative sampling.

Here are maps and charts I’ve done over the years. I created them using home square footage information from the tax records.MLS SALES 1 JAN TO 31 OCT 2011http://batchgeo.com/map/bae25bfb6d12e0271a8c3aa5ea958910This is an interactive map – you can move the map around, zoom in to get detailed information, and zoom out to create nifty pie charts showing the distribution of home size by neighborhood.But wait .. there’s more! Click on one of the colored markers at the gray bar at the bottom and you can filter the map to show only homes in a certain size range. Click the “Square Feet Home Range” text at the left of the gray bar to see all the data.MLS 2007 THROUGH JUN 2011Screen Shothttp://www.berkeleyhomes.com/graphics/maps/research/mls/2011-0101_1031/berkeley-mls-sales-research-2011-0101-1031-square-feet-home.jpgMLS SALES JAN-JUN 2011Scatter chart showing sales price vs. sq ft. The Numbers app created the linear trend line.Screen Shothttp://www.berkeleyhomes.com/graphics/maps/research/mls/2011-06/berkeley-mls-research-2011-01-06-single-family-home-sales-price-vs-square-feet-building-size.jpgIra

PragmaticProgressive

PS I wish you WOULD advocate for the restoration of People’s Park to people, especially kids. That, I could get behind.

The Sharkey

I’m helping a friend looking for a house right now, and from what I’ve seen in the listings lately you’d be hard pressed finding a 1,900 square foot house at $350k anywhere other than the Oakland border.

Most houses that size that aren’t in total disrepair command $450k-$550k and higher.

PragmaticProgressive

Careful, now you are rolling the warm pool back into your argument for Willard. Read other comments and note that people are vehemently opposed to that boondoggle.

The Sharkey

I’m on the same page as you.

Most aspects of Berkeley’s City government lead me to believe that any additional funds they get will be squandered and mismanaged, so why give them more money to play with?

PragmaticProgressive

At the risk of repeating myself, my argument is that in the first survey respondents were told that there were 8 or 10 projects competing for funding and hence priority. In the second survey, it was “divide and conquer,” with each item being considered in isolation.

The problem is that these things aren’t in isolation. They all rely on the same ATM machine.

The Sharkey

The voters didn’t support the Warm Pool boondoggle.
A Willard-specific bond probably would have passed.

PragmaticProgressive

No kidding. The YMCA operates three pools quite successfully. They also have a very highly regarded retirement fund that requires employee contributions.

The Sharkey

Education is one of the few things I’d be happy to pay additional taxes for. (Single-payer universal health care is another.)

Though I’d like something to be done about the mounting unfunded liability problems first.

PragmaticProgressive

Or someone who teaches fifth grade math?

Seriously, if it requires an app to figure this out, it should not be in the voting booth. We all know the math isn’t that difficult and that a fifth grader could definitely do it.

The problem is that the ballot text will present figures that aren’t representative of what most people will pay, especially not people who’ve bought property in Berkeley in the last decade.

The drafters of this measure know that they’d have a much harder time if they put “real” numbers out there. They are relying on voters to bring a mixture of innumeracy and magical thinking into the booth and while not out-and-out unethical, it is somewhat shy of forthright. I suspect fifth graders could see their way to the same conclusion — I’ll ask mine tonight.

Maggie

I agree that a plan for rebuilding necessary pools with only necessary repairs (not big enhancements) should be considered. I am troubled by the inflated amounts that the city is suggesting it would cost. Albany just built an indoor pool and an outdoor pool with a food serving area and two classrooms for half of what the city is saying it would cost for a warm pool and to rebuild Willard. Let’s make it focused, economical and realistic. No bells and whistles.

PragmaticProgressive

Well said

Maggie

This is a good idea. Maybe some computer engineering person can come up with a app for this. :)

Maggie

Regarding the language crafting, I’m concerned that the information in the survey did not give the full context, yet in the second survey the pools did much better.

What I have found in advocating for Willard pool is that most average Berkeley citizens who don’t follow current local issues have no idea that Willard pool is filled with dirt and have found it surprising that the city would not support saving a community pool. Especially, when looking at a map of Berkeley, you can see that the lower south and east third of the city have very few parks (Willard Park and People’s Park… but I don’t really want to hang out there or bring kids to the latter) and no city pool.

I agree that there are many conflicting needs in our city. I happen to think people (and kids) should be among the most important.

Maggie

Many educators, if not most, would be in favor of this. There a significant body of research that documents summer learning loss. It would take a major cultural shift. At any rate, we need to take care of our kids and give them the access to green space and other options for physical health. Academics is very important and I go over and above, working long days to give my students what they need as scholars. BTW, I’m not a fan of Waiting for Superman, too many false underlying assumptions.

BerkeleyCitizen

Actually, Anonymous, year round school is a burden for working parents who then have to make multiple annual schedule adjustments vs. a single one in the summer. I have nieces in year round school in another state and it is very hard on working parents.

berkopinionator

Hire an outside contractor or non-profit to operate the pool. No pensions required.

EBGuy

Now, now… pay no attention to the shrinking city services.

Alina

True that. I’d love to see a site where I can put in my home’s square footage and assessed value and then a calculator spits out how much of an increase I will be on the hook for.

Alina

It irks me that we refer to pensions as unfunded “obligations”. Why are they an obligation? Oh… because union contracts obligated the City to compensate workers at a certain level…. But wait a minute. I live here. I pay taxes. I believe the City has a contract with me, too!!! And it’s for fixing roads, funding schools, and keeping us safe. Those are also obligations! And the City is not meeting them, but they’re coming to me asking for help to meet them. Well I don’t see the unions agreeing to pay more into their pensions, why should I pay more to fix the roads?!

EBGuy

What about a Mello-Roos district for ongoing pool operational costs (employee salary and benefits & ongoing maintenance)? After all, there will be costs associated with a ‘new’ pool (one that has been shutdown and is no longer in the budget). Sigh…

Heather_W_62

I, too, was surveyed — I said “no” to everything that requires an additional tax. As a Berkeley home owner, I am just struggling to get by. I have voted on nearly every tax increase to benefit our schools and city services. I live on a street that is worn down to rubble. I see a thriving Fourth Street shopping area, but many shuttered businesses elsewhere. I see our School District continuing to function poorly, with an unknown number of out of district students using our resources. I see a City Manager who won’t come out and talk to the people about her employee, the Chief of Police, who in turn won’t even apologize for abuse of his authority. Let me now fail to mention that the now-retired ex-City Manager is living large on an outrageous pension. There is so much more.

While pools and access to these kinds of resources are important, the last time this issue came up to the voters, it would have behooved the persons writing it to target the Willard pool, for instance, or the warm pool, rather then handing us an albatross of a project encompassing all the pools with an enormous amount of money needed for restoration. I would have voted for it had it been a more manageable project. I’m not voting for this now. It’s a day late and a dollar short.
,

PragmaticProgressive

The other thing that bugs me about the phrasing of these questions is that the hypothetical amounts are all presented in terms of an “average 1,900 square foot home with an assessed value of $350,000.”

Quite a few folks have spent a lot more than $350K for a lot less than 1,900 square feet.

Maybe a real estate agent (Ira?) can chime in with how “average” that size really is for Berkeley.

Maggie

Thank you for commenting and for caring so much about our schools. Clearly, you are passionate and knowledgeable. I know that the BSEP funds that are used at my school are VERY thoughtfully distributed to support quality programming but I can’t speak for BSEP across the district. I think you raise some issues worth investigating.

Maggie

LB, No disrespect to the over 65ers. My dad is 72 and still swims! I’m just questioning the representativeness of the survey respondents. Obviously there is no way to get the perfect sub-sample of Berkeley residents, it’s just worth considering on a question like this. You raised some great points. Thanks for commenting.

Greg

Sidestepping the debate on the efficacy of a longer school year (or day) I’m wondering if maybe you’re missing out on the biggest issue: taxpayer support.

Presumably you’re talking about adding 20%-30% to the labor costs associated with at least the teaching and custodial staff.

PragmaticProgressive

Comparing the current survey with the one that asked the same questions (different wording) just a few months earlier is instructive. People are working very hard to hone the message so that voters will say acquiesce, and they are relentless.

In the first survey, the answer on pools was clearly “no” — people want streets repaired and other core matters addressed. But as they say in sales, “every ‘no’ is a step to a ‘yes'”

The first survey allowed people to prioritize issues and pools were near the bottom, with only 29% describing it as Extremely or Very Important (versus 68% who rated streets/storm drain repair that high).

The first survey also allowed people to respond to various combinations of proposals at different price points. None of these were over the threshold needed to secure funding.

You might expect to find our leaders focusing on the items that voters care most about, but instead they roll out a second survey that breaks each item out, presumably so that the sticker shock is reduced.

According to the survey group’s roadmap, the next few month or so will be spent on further honing the language. Stay sharp!!

Greg

So do you mean to imply that the parcel tax will only apply to North Berkeley?

The Sharkey

Good point. It’s not like the kids are needed to help with the harvest on the farm any more.

PragmaticProgressive

Construction costs are one of the items. Operating costs, with city employees and the attendant pension liabilities, are another.

Alina

I was one of those surveyed, too. I believe I said ‘yes’ to all the questions. And I may indeed vote ‘yes’ if 2 or 3 of them show up on the ballot. But if all 7 show up, I have to prioritize. Road and water improvements, pools, affordable housing… Heck, my property taxes are huge already…. I can’t possibly give to all these causes.

berkopinionator

If people don’t want to pay to re-open Willard pool, tell us what it will cost, and allow the public to start making voluntary contributions to get this done!!! I will send a donation! Maybe a pool contractor can donate some services, or cut their fee to make it happen.

Anonymous

Or year round school for everybody for that matter. Getting 1/4 of the year off is a relic of the past.

The Sharkey

Thumbs up. I agree 100%.

I will vote for a Willard-only bond, and bonds for preservation/maintenance of existing pools. I will vote against anything else.

LB

I was one of those surveyed and I came out very strongly in favor of the pools I will never use. I’m also in the over 65 demographic. I think it’s wrong to assume that those of use who don’t use the pools won’t support them and don’t see the importance of pools located where children live. Many families depend on small day care centers. Every summer children from these centers wall to the pool near my house. There is no way these children could be bussed to and from distant pools. The analysis of the no votes that led to the closing of Willard demonstrated that the deciding “nos” basically came from folks in the hills who voted yes for libraries and no for pools. Apparently making value judgments that, in my opinion, were myopic. I am also increasingly dismayed that my yes vote actually counts for less than a no vote because of the requirement of a 2/3 majority to pass these measures. Yet another example of the mischief created by Prop 13 a measure that has led to our schools moving from being among the top in the nation to being among those on the bottom. Similar attitudes are now putting our once top of the world university system at rich, especially for California residents who pay less than international or out of state students. Education, physical and intellectual benefits society as a whole, not just those who become educated. Unless and until enough people see themselves as part of a community, self interest will continue to trump the general welfare we are supposed to promote.

BerkeleyCitizen

Yes to Willard, no to the Warm Pool Boondoggle.

bgal4

Mandated summer school for those under proficiency.

Host summer school at Washington and include a swim program using the under used BHS pool we already funded.

[…] 2020 Vision, which, in large part, was designed to close the achievement gap, a noble intention. To this end, the city committed to “develop plans… to remove barriers to learning and to promote healthy development for all Berkeley children and youth.”

Thank you for underscoring the scope of the 2020 Vision: Berkeley children and youth. If Berkeley students are lagging their peers, we should absolutely confront that head on.

Tragically, this same expansionary trend in BUSD conflicts directly with your goal of seeing children enjoy play time and space. At Jefferson, for example, plans are underway to add new classrooms to meet the surge, at a school whose parents tell me is already unable to schedule the minimum PE time in its already small (and about to get smaller) open space.

So, I agree with you when you write:

We need a unified, concerted effort to better serve Berkeley citizens, child and adult, able-bodied and disabled, who are currently being underserved.

though I would have said “residents” rather than “citizens.” At any rate, a BILLION dollars is a pretty sincere commitment to public institutions, but I think it’s plain for all who care to see it, that those dollars aren’t actually being directed to the service of Berkeley’s children and youth. The same can be said for the dollars we pour into BSEP — those should be boosting the educational experiences of Berkeley children, but they’re actually being distributed across the East Bay.

Anonymous

This should have been the Opinionator piece, not the tired old drivel about hitting up the north Berkeley ATM again.

There are two questions for Willard. A bond for construction at 5mm, and a parcel tax at half a million a year to cover operating the place, which I gather means paying city employees.

I see nothing in the survey about lowering the city’s employment costs, specifically with regard to pension expenses. A lifelong swimmer, I will vote NO unless/until that changes.

PS street repair is vastly more important than pools, warm or Willard.

hardlyaguest

Time and time again those in Big Union Education (see: “Waiting for Superman”) cast the achievement gap as the result of disparate resources, unjustly applied; When every credible study shows it’s the the level of importance families place on education that is the most significant determinant of a student’s academic success.

Dragging the pools into this just one more instance of playing the public’s (increasingly diminishing) guilt to extort funds for the benefit of a few, while the city wobbles under special interest appeasement towards bankruptcy.

Full day summer school for those below grade level in math and english would be a much better investment in preparing our kids to swim, not sink, in the real world.

Zorg

Next January Social Security tax will go up. Federal income
tax will go up. State Income tax will go up. This June Alameda County are asking
for a $46 per house bond measure and no doubt the city will want some bond
measure or measures in November (Excluding Pools). I think this pool issue a
very low priority and anyone who wants to go swimming can easily use some of
the other local pools in Albany, MLK or Strawberry Creek. Please end the pools
stuff. Buy a bike or get on the bus and use a pool.